Park Hyatt Dubai (photo by Brad A Johnson)

On my way back from a work assignment in India last month, I stopped for a couple days vacation in Dubai. I had originally planned to go shopping and skiing at that mall with the indoor ski slope, but once I checked into the Park Hyatt, I instantly changed my plans. I never left the hotel. Didn't see or do anything in Dubai outside of my hotel. No shopping. No skiing. No sightseeing. No desert treks. Park Hyatt has long been one of my favorite luxury hotel brands, and the Dubai property did not disappoint. Between lounging by the pool, smoking an apricot hookah on the veranda, and eating the best tabbouleh EVER, I snapped a few pictures. Have a look around.

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I love the architecture of the hotel, which is situated on the banks of Dubai Creek, sprawled across a park-like setting adjacent to Dubai's most prestigious golf course and yacht club. 

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The lobby lounge is incredibly peaceful. 

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The food (especially the tabbouleh) was fantastic. 

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In typical Park Hyatt style, my room was minimal and serene but extremely luxurious. 

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This is one way to arrive, by sea plane on Dubai Creek. But I came by car. 

I can't wait to go back. 

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Four Seasons Punta Mita yacht (Photo by Brad A Johnson)

This was one of my favorite sunsets so far this year. I snapped this shot aboard the private yacht of the Four Seasons Punta Mita in Mexico's Banderas Bay, just north of Puerta Vallarta. Way too much tequila was consumed that day, but all in all it was a fairly perfect outing. I mean, just look at that view. Now imagine yourself barefoot. On a private yacht. With tequila, guacamole and tuna ceviche.

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Bahia at Four Seasons Punta Mita (photo by Brad A Johnson)

A small fishing boat glides up the beach in front of the Four Seasons Punta Mita, just north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific Coast.

A beach butler and one of the hotel’s lifeguards wade into the surf, waves crashing into their chests and faces, to greet the fishermen. Not much bigger than a dinghy, the boat holds only two fishermen, and it takes their combined strength to hoist a large insulated cooler over the edge. The heavy package splashes into the surf. The staff signal “OK” to the fishermen, grab the cooler and haul it to shore, running barefoot through the blazing-hot sand to the resort’s beachfront restaurant, Bahía.

The beach at Four Seasons Punta Mita (photo by Brad A Johnson)

Renowned chef Richard Sandoval oversees the restaurants at Four Seasons Punta Mita, and today he’s on property to check in on the team. He’s joined beachside by the hotel’s executive chef Philippe Piel to watch the daily catch come ashore.

When they pry open the cooler, it’s filled with what looks like a hundred pounds of fish: a gorgeous yellowfin tuna, a massive flounder, several red snappers, a whole family of pink snappers, plus grouper, mahi mahi, amberjack, bonita, octopus…

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Catch of the day at Four Seasons Punta Mita (photos by Brad A Johnson)

It’s a great day for fish tacos! Mere minutes after the fish arrive, Sandoval and Piel have already cleaned the pink snappers and are cooking them (whole, but boneless) over a wood-fired grill in the restaurant’s outdoor exhibition kitchen. Large flames lick up through the grates, caressing the fish, engulfing it. Minutes is all it takes before they’re done. The outer flesh is heavily charred, black as coal and crinkled around the edges. Overdone? Well, there is still a suggestion of pink underneath, and as I tear into it with my fork, the meat inside is pearly white and as juicy as the sea. The chef grabs a bottle of a citrus-based sauce and squirts it onto the snapper. He hands me a whole fish on a plate garnished with chayote slaw and avocado.

Pink snapper tacos at Bahia (photo by Brad A Johnson)

“How exactly do I eat this?” I ask. “Watch,” the chef says, and he grabs a hot tortilla. With the other hand he pulls off a large chunk of snapper and stuffs it into the wrapper. I think he’s done, but then he reaches for a handful of slaw. A slice of avocado. A big, hearty squeeze of lime. The delicate tortilla quivers under the weight. He pinches it together and takes a bite. Juice drips from the opposite end. I smile and reach for a tortilla as quickly as I can.

Get the recipe for these amazing grilled snapper tacos at Food Republic.  

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Images from the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, India (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

 Mumbai is chaos. Absolute, full-sensory chaos. The noise. The pigeons. The traffic. The incessant honking. The wild dogs barking. The heat. The tongue-wetting aroma of durian on the sidewalk. The wafting incense of marigolds and jasmine. Cows leisurely wandering through rush-hour intersections. Horses clopping. Children laughing. It’s maddening. And it’s what makes Mumbai one of the most interesting cities in the world, a place everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. 

The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is the perfect antidote to all this frenzy. One of the world’s beloved grand dames, the turn-of-the-century palace overlooks the iconic Gateway of India in the Apollo Bunder neighborhood, on the banks of the Arabian Sea in the Bay of Bombay. Step inside the hotel, and the city’s swirling rumpus immediately fades. Serenity cleanses the senses. Here’s a quick look around this beautiful hotel. 

The exterior of the hotel as seen from the interior courtyard

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One of the palace's interior hallways

Resting spot near the elevator

The Starboard Lounge

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This was my suite

The Gateway of India, taken at sunrise from the terrace of my suite

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Fine dining Indian restaurant Masala Kraft

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Golden Dragon Chinese restaurant

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The Harbour Bar and bartender Tehmton Dara Mistry

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The neighborhood surrounding the hotel

All photos by Brad A. Johnson. 

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Jasmine Sour Martini at Hookah Lounge in Hyderabad (photo by Brad A Johnson)

If you've got a jasmine bush in your yard (and the jasmine is blooming throughout Los Angeles at the moment), or if perhaps your neighbor has one... Make this drink! This is one of the best, most elegant cocktails I've had in a long time. I discovered this jasmine sour martini at the Hookah Lounge at Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India. And I can't get enough. If you don't have a jasmine bush, well, bummer. But you can probably substitute the blossoms from an orange or lemon tree, or some other such sweet, fragrant flower. 

Jasmine Sour Martini
1 oz Simple syrup
Handful Fresh jasmine flowers
1/2 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 oz Vodka

1. Steep the jasmine flowers in the simple syrup until very fragrant. Allow to cool. 
2. In a shaker filled with ice, combine the lemon juice, jasmine syrup and vodka. Shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a jasmine flower. 

Damn, this is a tasty drink. And it's not the only recipe I scored from the Hookah Lounge. I also got the recipe for an amazing Indian-style, orange-coriander mojito and a delicious pomegranate-mint margarita. For those recipes, check out my Hyderabadi cocktail story, How To Drink Like A Nizam, at Food Republic. 

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Taj Falaknuma Palace hotel, Hyderabad, India (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

On the outskirts of modern, high-tech Hyderabad, on a hilltop in the heart of the Old City, one of India’s finest historic palaces recently opened as a luxury hotel. 

Falaknuma Palace sat empty for much of the last half century, sealed up like a time capsule as a curious reminder of what life must have been like for the royal courts before India gained its independence. It took several years to dust off the cobwebs and remove the overgrown weeds from throughout the sprawling estate, but after years of painstaking restoration overseen by the former princess herself, along with Taj Hotels as a partner, the time capsule has been opened. Falaknuma Palace has been reborn. This is a truly stunning hotel, an otherworldly experience, a retreat of a lifetime. The service, the cuisine, the history and the glamour… This is India at its finest. Just make sure to schedule two or three utterly lazy days where you don't have to leave the estate. Here's a look around:

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Horse-drawn carriage at Falaknuma Palace (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

Guests arrive at the palace by horse-drawn carriage, just as they did back in the palace’s heyday. Cars go no farther than large gated arch midway up the hill. Horses take it from there, arriving in front of the palace beneath a shower of rose petals.

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Falaknuma Palace (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

The 60-room hotel feels more like a museum than a hotel. Much of the furnishings are original to the palace, which was built in the late 1890s. “Is it really OK to be sitting in this chair with this orange-coriander mojito in my hand?” I keep asking myself as I’m slouching into an elaborately carved armchair upholstered in Damask silk.

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The Hookah Lounge (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

The former saloon, now the Hookah Lounge, is no longer reserved strictly for men, and it looks pretty much the way it did when the Nizam entertained here, except that the billiards table has obviously been recovered with new green felt. The sweet smell of hookah shisha hangs lightly in the air, mingled with blooming jasmine and Old World dust. The cocktails here are incredible, especially the jasmine sour martini and the oriange-coriander mojito. 

 The formal dining hall (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Adjacent to the Hookha Lounge is the formal dining hall, which is now reserved only for special occasions (weddings, birthdays), for which the original 100-seat dining table, said to be the world’s longest, is still in use.

A royal suite in the former women's quarters (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

The former women’s quarters—where females were previously kept segregated from the males—have been turned into the hotel's premier guest rooms, each outfitted with antique beds and dramatic marble baths. An army of butlers tends to guests’ needs and whims around the clock. 

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The inner courtyards (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

The grounds are lushly landscaped and rustically maintained, a tranquil oasis planted with jacarandas, palm trees, rose bushes and night jasmine.

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Dining at Falaknuma Palace (photos by Brad A Johnson)

Most of the dining takes place at two new restaurants, Adaa and Celeste, located on the backside of the palace overlooking Hyderabad's predominantly muslim Old Town. Adaa serves exquisite Indian fare plated in the style of French haute cuisine. Celeste serves Italian and Mediterranean food, which I never got around to trying because every time I was hungry, i couldn't resist the Indian food at Adaa. 

The pool (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Taj has opened one of its signature Jiva Spas here, and as you might expect, it’s a blissful retreat within the palace grounds. The pool is a bit rustic, in a decadent, carefree sort of way, rimmed with grass (trimmed by hand) and flowering trees, which provide plenty of shade for comfortable chaise lounges.

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A view from the wing of Air India en route to Srinagar, Kashmir (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

I know, I know. What took me so long? But better late than never. I've joined the revolution on Instagram. Here are my first Instagram pics from Kashmir (using Hipstamatic for iPhone). Log into the Instagram app on your phone and follow me @bradajohnson.

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Scenes from Kasmir via BradAJohnson's Instagram. 

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Hyderabad, India (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

If this picture doesn't make you smile, then nothing will. This picture captures the very essence of Hyderabad. These two kids were sitting in the back of a three-wheeler mini cab in the parking lot of the Nizam Museum. Their smiles, their eyes, their spirit—pure magic. Pure India. I'll be posting more stories about Hyderabad soon. Stay tuned.

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My good friends over at Food Republic just published my Top 5 picks for wine tasting and dining in Napa and Sonoma. Obviously, the choices for restaurants and tasting rooms in Northern California’s wine country are vast. Picking only five restaurants or tasting rooms is an impossible task. I could easily spend a month (hell, years?) driving the backroads and historic trails of Napa and Sonoma counties, stopping every hundred yards for yet another sip and swirl at yet another winery’s tasting room. And the restaurants? That’s even harder, so I’ve narrowed it down to what’s currently hottest. 

Where to taste incredible pinot noirs, brilliant chardonnay and some of the world's best zinfandel: 
Top 5 Tasting Rooms

Where to eat roasted quail, green eggs & ham, lamb chops with foie gras sauce and more:
Top 5 Hot Spots

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Srinigar City in the Kashmir Valley of the Himalayas (Brad A. Johnson)

There are so many stories to tell about Srinagar, an extraordinarly beautiful city in the northernmost Indian state of Kasmir (technically Jammu & Kashmir—an area that Pakistan would also like to claim as its own, but which is under the control of India), high in the Himalaya mountains. Stories are coming, but for now, here's a visual journey. The city, the lake, the people, the flowers, the roads...

This is Dal Lake, which is surrounded on all sides by Srinagar City. 

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Stay tuned. I'll be posting more stories about Srinagar, as well as about Mumbai and Hyderabad, soon. 

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All photos by Brad A. Johnson, all rights reserved.

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Chicken and pheasant pot pie at The Tenth in Vail (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

The best chef-driven restaurant in Vail is still, hands-down, Kelly Liken. That’s a point that almost every chef in town is begrudgingly willing to concede. But the former Top Chef contestant has some fierce new competition this year. Here’s what’s new in Vail: 

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The Tenth; mussels and fries; short rib ravioli; s'mores pudding; creme brulee (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

1. The Tenth
You’d be stupid to ski Vail Mountain and not call ahead to book a table for lunch at The Tenth, a fabulous new on-mountain restaurant located at the base of Look Ma run, accessible via three different chairlifts. But seriously, don’t forget to call ahead. I watched the hostesses turn away dozens of hungry skiers who hadn’t booked in advance. There’s a reason this place is so popular. It is quite simply the best new restaurant in Vail, with head chef Paul Wade (formerly of Aspen’s Little Nell and the Four Seasons Maui). There’s an awesome lamb chili made with local Colorado lamb and smoked green chiles, topped with Humboldt Fog chevre. The chicken and pheasant pot pie will put your grandmother’s to shame. The beef short rib ravioli, holy crap. And the s’mores pudding will have you in tears, I promise. Mid Vail Mountain, 970-754-1010

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The dining room at Block 16; foie gras; kampachi crudo; agnolotti; sea trout (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

2. Block 16
The two-year-old Sebastian hotel in the heart of Vail Village is picking up steam with Block 16, a small but mighty restaurant with an incredible wine program and a new rising-star chef, Ezra Duker, formerly of French Laundry and The Truffle Pig in Steamboat. Duker balances pristine slivers of kampachi with hearts of palm and kumquats. He marries uni with potatoes for a beguiling union that tastes like a cross between soup and soufflé. Local steelhead trout is bathed in mustard jus with bok choy and maitake mushrooms. 16 Vail Road, 970-477-8050

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Matsuhisa Vail's sashimi; the sushi bar; jalapeno scallop; chocolate cigars (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

3. Matsuhisa
Capitalizing on the enormous success of his restaurant in Aspen, Nobu Matsuhisa has launched another Matsuhisa, this one in Vail. Is it as great as the one in Aspen? Well, not quite, but the Aspen location is perhaps the best restaurant in the celebrity chef’s entire empire. This one’s still really good—really, really good—and it’s got the best view of any fine dining restaurant in the Village. The scallop with jalapeño salsa is truly kick-ass. And save room for desserts because they steal the show. 141 E. Meadow Drive, 970-476-6628

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The burger at Sonnenalp's Bully Ranch (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

4. Bully Ranch
There’s a new chef (Steve Topple) at the legendary Sonnenalp (home of the best maître d’ in Vail), and in the resort’s casual pub he’s introduced what is easily Vail’s best line-up of burgers, made with freshly ground beef, buffalo or elk — stacked higher than a Dagwood. (Feeling lucky? And hungry? If you review all seven of the pub’s new burgers on their Facebook page, you’ll be entered to win free swag from the resort’s spa!) 20 Vail Road, 970-476-5656

5. Elway’s Steakhouse
This first-rate steakhouse from former Denver Bronco great John Elway is precisely everything a great steakhouse should be: a testosterone-fueled ode to big-ass steaks and even bigger red wines. Plus shrimp cocktail the size of Chihuahuas. 174 East Gore Creek Drive, 970-754-7818

This article originally appeared on Food Republic. 

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Risotto-stuffed quail at La Marmotte, Telluride (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

They call this old mining town "To Hell You Ride," but there’s seriously no prettier place on earth than Telluride. This is Colorado at its absolute best. Rugged. Remote. Utterly unpretentious. And with a stronger sense of community than any other ski resort in the state. The snow hasn’t stopped falling since January, and the mountain is absolutely primed. They’ve got the highest restaurant in America and an unquenchable zest for happy hour. 

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 1. Alpino Vino
At 11,966 feet above sea level, this two-year-old, on-mountain chalet is America’s highest-altitude restaurant. It might also be the very best restaurant in Telluride. Only 26 seats inside (it’s a tight squeeze!). Wood-burning fireplace. Italian cuisine. Prix fixe five-course menu at dinner (extraordinary porcini consomme with mushroom biscotti; ricotta and spinach ravioli with fresh pea pesto and carbonara), accessible by snowcat. Lunch is à la carte, ski-in/ski-out: best grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup EVER. Savvy sommeliers. Sexy hostess. Take the Gold Hill Express (Lift 14); turn left off the lift and ski See Forever, which will take you to the font door. 970-728-7474

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2. 221 South Oak
This ultra charming house in downtown Telluride is the perfect spot for date night. Chef Eliza Gavin makes some of the best sausage in Colorado, which doesn’t sound very glamorous, but she manages to make it just that. Rocky mountain trout is pure locavore perfection. Grilled elk chop, brilliant. Pumpkin and butterscotch custard pie? Yes please. 221 South Oak St., Telluride, 970-728-9507

3. Chop House
Come nightfall, this is the social epicenter of downtown Telluride. Excellent steaks. Wagyu carpaccio with black truffles. Frisee salad with miso-glazed pork belly. Creamed corn brûlée. Harlan Estate, Merry Edwards, Petrus… New Sheridan Hotel, 231 W. Colorado Ave., Telluride, 970-728-9100

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4. Allred’s
Epic views — guaranteed to blow your mind. It’s no wonder this is the most popular sunset happy hour scene in Telluride. Located on-mountain at the gondola stop (Station Saint Sophia) midway between Telluride and Mountain Village, the restaurant is perfectly accessible without skis. Elk carpaccio. Crumb-crusted rack of Colorado lamb. Sticky toffee pudding. 970-728-7474

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5. La Marmotte
Chef Mark Reggiannini serves truly excellent French bistro cuisine with a modern American twist. He stuffs quail with mushroom risotto and serves them alongside red quinoa with hedgehog mushrooms, pine nut oil and quail jus. Duck breast is roasted with vanilla and spiked with kumquats and fennel. 150 San Juan Avenue, Telluride, 970-728-623

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6. Bon Vivant
Telluride’s newest on-mountain dining is a fab little outdoor cafe (one giant umbrella outfitted with heat lamps) perched on a cliff overlooking the ski basin. Outstanding country French cuisine: mushroom soup en croute, croque madame, crepes, poached pears. Take the Polar Queen Express lift. 970-728-6900

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7. Tomboy Tavern
A gastropub at the base of the mountain, just steps from the ski lift, this is Mountain Village’s newest restaurant. Killer bloody marys and monstrous burgers. Great beer selection.Mountain Village Core, 970-728-7467

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8. Cosmopolitan
Never mind the name, this is the best place in Telluride for artisanal cocktails. Lobster corn dogs. House-made burrata. Surf ‘n’ turf. Fantastic seafood stew. Coconut cream cheesecake. Blueberry pie. Impeccable service. Hotel Columbia, 300 West San Juan Avenue, 970-728-1292

9. La Pizzeria
This is the casual offshoot of the adjoining, more glamorous La Piazza. If you want frills and white tablecloths, go next door. If all you want is a really great Neapolitan-style pizza, this is the spot. Excellent homemade gelato, too. 117 Lost Creek Lane, Mountain Village, 970-728-0737

10. Amy’s Mini Donuts
Not exactly a restaurant but maybe the most important place you’ll want to visit, this mobile donut cart in the Mountain Village Core makes the most incredible donuts on the planet. Maybe that’s the snow and high-altitude exhaustion talking, but I swear you’ll agree. Keep your gloves on — they’re served straight from the deep-fryer. Hot chocolate and apple cider, too. Mountain Village Gondola Plaza.

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221 South Oak, Telluride (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

221 South Oak is an ultra charming restaurant in downtown Telluride. Housed in a vintage cottage, with sultry jazz and vocals warbling from the stereo, this is the perfect spot for date night. Chef Eliza Gavin is one of the best chefs in town. She makes a half dozen different sausages in-house every week, using elk, pork, beef, duck, you name it. She serves an amazing Rocky Mountain trout. The grilled elk chop is brilliant. And there's a pumpkin butterscotch pie that will have you licking the plate and begging for more. 221 South Oak St., Telluride, 970-728-9507

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Colorado lamb at Eight K, Snowmass (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

I’ve long argued that Colorado produces the best lamb in the world, and after a recent two-week trip though the Rocky Mountains, I believe it even more. Just take a look at some of these Colorado lamb dishes. I couldn’t get enough.  

From Eight K in Snowmass, here’s an awesome crumb-crusted rack of lamb served with braised lamb shoulder and crispy lamb sweetbreads.

Rack of lamb at Cloud Nine Bistro, Aspen Highlands (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

From Cloud Nine Bistro in Aspen, here are some lovely, humongous lamb chops. Nice little lunch on the mountain—the perfect mid-day break at the top of one of the best ski runs in Colorado.

Rack of lamb at Allred's, Telluride (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

And check this one out. It’s from Allred’s in Telluride. Once again, crusted in crumbs and herbs. It’s served alongside braised lamb shoulder and paired with smashed fingerling potatoes and a fennel puree. Sigh. 

Rack of lamb at Cosmopolitan, Telluride (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Here’s another rack of lamb in Telluride, this one from Cosmopolitan. Classic. Simple. Perfection. 

I don’t have a picture of it because the candlelit ambience was way too dark, but at Alpino Vino, Telluride’s incredibly charming mountain-top chalet with an Italian theme, I enjoyed an outstanding lamb shank osso bucco with soft polenta. A truly incredible Colorado experience topped off with lamb, naturally. 

Unlike the immature but very popular lamb that comes from New Zealand or Australia, Colorado lamb tastes like lamb. Unmistakable. Unapologetic. Bold. Often brilliantly fatty. Amazing. 

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Ceviche at Cima in Beaver Creek (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

It’s been snowing like CRAZY in the Rockies this month. And if that wasn’t enough, here’s yet another delicious reason to get to Beaver Creek RIGHT THIS MINUTE. Globetrotting superchef Richard Sandoval (of New York’s Maya and L.A.‘s Zengo, etc.) has opened his latest restaurant, Cima, just below the Beaver Creek ski basin at the Westin in Avon village. This is vintage Sandoval, a brilliant weaving together of Latin American and Asian flavors with skillful technique: tuna tiradito and octopus ceviche; pork belly ramen with a coddled farm egg; chipotle chicken udon noodle soup with a red chile pozole broth… Westin Riverfront Resort, 126 Riverfront Lane, 970-790-5500

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Beano's Cabin, Beaver Creek (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Beano’s Cabin is my favorite restaurant in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Hidden in a small mountain meadow, surrounded by towering spruce, at the edge of Larkspur Bowl more than halfway up Beaver Creak Mountain, this was one of the first ski-in/ski-out, fine-dining restaurants in America. The cabin is now celebrating its 25^th year with a brand new chef, Bill Greenwood (formerly of Aspen’s The Little Nell and San Diego’s Eddie V’s), who fills the wood-fired rotisserie with whole suckling pigs and beef tenderloins. 

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En route to the cabin; the interior; fluke tartare; leek risotto; pork belly with polenta; roasted vegetables (photos by Brad A Johnson)

An appetizer of fluke tartare tastes like it was just yanked from the sea. Picture-perfect farmers market veggies (flown in from the Santa Monica Farmers Market in Los Angeles) are roasted en papillote. A snowball-sized chunk of pork belly sinks into a creamy, pillowy mound of polenta. The fireplace roars. The wine list is extensive. Lunch, which is ski-in/ski-out via the Larkspur Express chairlift, is open only to members of the private Beaver Creek Club (and their friends). Dinner, accessibly only by snow cat, is open to the public. Reservations essential, 970.754.3463

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Tuna carpaccio with preserved lemon, fennel and harissa (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Executive chef Rob Zack at Eight K, the beautiful restaurant inside the Viceroy Snowmass, serves some of the best lamb chops and Rocky Mountain trout in the Aspen/Snowmass area. And, holy crap, the tuna carpaccio is amazing. Low-key glamour. Roaring fireplace in the center of the dining room. 130 Wood Rd., Snowmass Village, 970.923.8000

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The patio at Cloud Nine Bistro on Aspen Highlands (photo by Brad A Johnson)

New to Aspen this year is Cloud Nine Bistro, located at 10,740 feet, high atop Aspen Highlands mountain, with stunning views of the Maroon Bells (twin peaks in the Elk Mountains). Ski-in/ski-out from the Cloud Nine lift. Unbuckle your boots and feast on elk ragout with lingonberries and créme fraîche, pheasant sausages wrapped in pancetta, pristine scallops that'll make you forget for a moment that you're in the mountains, or some of the biggest Colorado lamb chops you’ll ever see (or taste). But first you'll want to start with a big pot of fondue. (Chef Andreas Fishbacher is Austrian, natch). Aspen Highlands, Cloud Nine lift, 970-544-3063

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Fondue with a view; dining room; scallop; lamb chops; apple strudel; panna cotta (photos by Brad A Johnson)

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Cowboy ribeye (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Steakhouse chefs rarely garner much attention from the national press because, generally, if they're doing things right, they’re not reinventing the wheel. Well, here’s one who deserves to be noticed: rising star chef Kathleen Crook at Aspen’s new Steakhouse 316. And no, she’s not reinventing the wheel, but that’s beside the point.

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The dining room; iceberg wedge; mussels; onion rings; bread pudding; staff (photos by Brad A. Johnson)

Crook is an incredible technician who really nails this concept.She serves enormous, outrageously fine steaks from a nearby herd, perfectly cooked and dramatically presented still sizzling in cast-iron skillets that barely fit on the tabletops. The onion rings are epic. She serves insanely plump mussels, steamed with jalapeños and garlic, served in Staub pots. She makes an iceberg wedge like nobody’s business. A single serving of bread pudding is as big as your head. The dining room is sexy as hell, too, swathed in black-and-white wallpaper, exposed brick, black lacquered wood, dark red velvet and crystal chandeliers. 316 E. Hopkins Ave., Aspen, 970-920-1893

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